Ship-propelling device



Oct. 23, 1923.

G. TUST SHIP PROPELLING DEVICE Filed March 4 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet l Oct.23, 923. 11,471,870)

' G.TUST

SHIP PROPELLING DEVI CE Filed March 4, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 (kit. 23,11.923.

Filed March 4, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Out. 23,1923. mmw

G. TUST SHIP PROPELLING DEVICE Filed March 4, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 4lmvawmr @cih; 23 1923.

G. TUST SHIP PROPELLING DEVICE Filed March 4, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 saidspecification and drawings and in which Patented that. 23, 12230 UNETSTAS- lgdtihtt tl ATNT QFFHQO GUSTAV. TUST, OF SAN FRANCISCO,CALIFORNIA.

SHIP-PROPELLING DEVICE.

Application and March a, 1922. serial No. team.

' for ships.

Another object is to provide improved means for applying energy derivedfrom the pressure of currents within the air for the propulsion of aship.

A further object is to provide a device of the character describedhaving provisionof propelling the ship at diiferent speeds.

Another object is to provide improvedmeans for applying energy derivedfrom the wind for propelling a ship in any direction regardless of thedirection of the wind.

A still further object is to provide a device adapted to be actuated bywind pressure and provided with means for automatically compensating forvariations in said wind pressure to deliver a uniform propelling force.

A still further object is to provide an improved device for applyingwind pressure to the propelling of a ship afiording flexibility and easeof control.

I accomplish these and other objects by means of the device disclosed inthe drawings forming a part of the present specification wherein likecharacters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughoutFigure 1 is a broken side elevation of a ship equipped with my improvedpropelling device disclosing the general arrangement and applicationthereof; Figure 2 is a broken plan view of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a brokenside elevation of the tower and windmill cap, parts being broken awayand shown .in section to disclose the construction thereof; Figure 4 isa view taken at right angles to Fig. 3; Figure 5 is a broken plan viewof the transmission gears; Figure 6 is a broken side elevation of thedrive shaft and gearing showing the manner in which the direction andspeed is controlled;

Figure 7 is a broken front elevation of the windmill; Figure 8 is a sideelevation of Fig. 7; Figure 9 is a view of the back of one of the vanes;Figure 10 is a horizontal section of a vane showing the manner in whichit is moved to compensate for variation in wind pressure; Figure 11 is aplan view of the steering mechanism; F igure 12 is a horizontal sectionof a connecting shaft showing the brake drum applied thereto; and Figure13 is a side elevation of Fig. 12. i a

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 is used to designate in generala ship upon the upper deck of which are mounted a plurality of towers 2preferably built from angle iron sections to decrease air resistancethereagainst. Upon the top of each tower 2 is rotatably mounted awindmill cap 3 carried upon suitable roller bearings 4. Each cap 3 isprovided with a horizontally disposed shaft 6 carried upon suitablebearings 7.

cured a windmill designated in general by the numeral 8 and consistingof a plurality of vanes 9 pivotally mounted upon a like plurality ofradial rods 11 secured between a hub12 and an outer, rim 13 by means ofsuitable bearings 14. A spring 16 is provided upon each rod 11, one endof which is secured to the rod by means of a collar 10, the free end ofsaid spring bearing against the back of the corresponding vane 9 toexert a pressure therea-gainst, the purpose. of which will hereinafterbe more fully described.

A rudder 15 is secured upon each cap upon the side opposite the windmillto direct the windmill toward the wind in the usual manner.

The inner end of each shaft 6 carries a bevel gear 17 and is providedwith a suitable thrust bearing 18. The gear 17 meshes with a similarbevel gear 19 secured upon the upper end of a vertically disposedconnecting shaft 21 extending downwardly through the tower and the deckof the ship to be connected to a drive shaft 23 by means of a, bevelgear 24 meshing with a pair of oppositely faced bevel gears 26 and 27rotatably mounted upon said drive shaft 23.

Clutch members 28 and 29 are secured upa on the adjacent faces of thegears 26 and 27 ship 1 as being provided with two windmills 8, each ofwhich is connected with the drive shaft 23 in the manner abovedescribed. Separate levers 32 are providd for.

the manipulation of the clutch member by which the connecting shafts areoperatively, connected to the drive shaft, in, this manner permittingeither of the connecting shafts to be disconnected independently oftheother to reduce the amount of power applied to said drive shaft 23, orto permit the operation of either windmill to be interrupted fornecessary repair Work without interferring with the operation of theother. However, to insure against the possibility of causing one clutchmember 29 to engage a member 26 in connection with one connecting shaft21 and the other clutch member to engage the member 27 in connectingwith the other connecting shaft 21, the levers 32 are interconnected asby a link 35 whereby the movement of one lever is limited with respectto the other.

Suitable brake drums 34 are provided upon each connecting shaft 21whereby the rotatlonimay' be retarded or entirely prevented by means ofa suitable brake band 36 and actuating connections 37 The drive shaft 23is provided with gears 38 and 39 of different diametersupon the adjacentsides of which are secured clutch members 41 and 42 adapted to beengaged by a corresponding clutch member 43 feathered upon the driveshaft 23 and actuated by a yoke 44 whereby either of said clutch members41 and 42 may be engaged and the corresponding gear 38 or 39 rotated.

Pairs of gears 46 and 47 secured upon parallel propeller shafts 48 meshwith the gears 38 and 39. The outer ends of the propeller shafts 48extend outwardly through seen that the pressure of the stern ofthe shipand are provided withsuitable screw propellers 50 operating in the usualmanner for propelling the ship through the water. I

From the above description it. is readily against the vanes of thewindmills 8 will causea rotation thereof, which. rotation 1s imparted tothe'connecting shafts 21 and thence to the drive shafts and thepropeller shafts for operating the propeller screws. By means of theclutch member 30' and the oppositely faced bevel gears 26 and air Icurrents.

27 the direction of rotation of the drive shaft may be reversed when itis desird to. drive the propellers in a reverse direction, and. by means"of the gears 38 and39, and their meshing pairs of gears 46 and 47 thespeed of rotation of the propellers may me changed at will. In thedrawings I have provided for only two speeds but it is clear thatadditional speeds could be obtained by inserting additional sets ofgears of proper ratio to give the desired speed.

The pivotally mounted and spring" controlled vaues 9 are arranged toautomatically compensate for variations .in wind pressureand thusdeliver a uniform driving force to the drive shaft 23. The springs 16are made of a strength such that the normal wind pressure will notdisplace the vanes about their pivots; however, should the wind pressurebecome excessive, the excess pressure upon each vane will cause it to beslightly turnd against the pressure of the spring and thus present lesssurface to the Wind. This is accomplished by pivoting the vanes 9 alonga line slightly at one side of the center line of the vane, and thesprings 16 arranged to exert their pressure in opposition to the greaterside of the vane. Thus only so much of thepressureof the wind againstthe greater side of the vane is the wind thereby maintaining the drivingforce substantially uniform and preventing undue stressupon-the drivingconnections.

Pins 20 secured to the rods 11 engage the sides of the bearings 14 tolimit the movement of the vanes 9 about the pivot rods 11.

Power from the drive shaft 23 is also utilized in steerin the ship.,This I accom plish byprovidmg a pair of bevel gears 51 upon the driveshaft 23. A gear 52 mounted upon a shaft 53 is engaged upon oppositesides by the gears 51, said gears 51 being controlled by a suitableclutch54 operated in a manner similar to the clutches 30 andv 43 wherebythe shaft 53 may be rotated in either direction. Theshaft 53 is alsoprovided with a pinion 55 meshing with a segment gear 56 secured uponthe upperend of a rudder shaft 57 carrying a rudder 58 of any suitableconstruction'for steering the ship. Whenit is desired to alter thecourse of theship, the clutch 54 is moved to cause the shaft 53 to benotated in the desired direction, said shaft operating the pinion 55'and the segment gear 56 to turn the rudder to the desired angle. V

Y dditional mechanism may be driven from the drive shaft23 to meet therequirements o1 the ship. This is illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawingswherein anair compressor 60-is shown connected to the shaft 23 by a belt59.

From the above description it is seen that I have providedan improveddevice wherein I have made provision for the utilizing of wind pressurenot 'onlyto propel the ship,.but for such other power purposes as may berequired, the delivery of the power derived from the wind beingdelivered directly to a main drive shaft from which it may be utilizedin any manner desired in the same manner as from the main drive of apower driven ship. Thus the same flexibilit' of delivery and control ofpower is ,avai able as with other sources of power,

and the fact that the ship is propelled by screws operating in the waterin the usual manner permits'the' ship to follow any desired courseregardless of the direction of the Wind, as even when the ship is headeddirectly into'the wind, the power developed by the windmills will bedelivered to the propellers operating within the water to cause aforward movement of the ship.-

I i li 1h d 1. s i prope 'n evice com risin the combin tion with shi ofprogelling means mounted upon the sh1p a drive shaft connected to saidpropelling means and arranged to drive the same at difierent speeds;windmills mounted u on the ship and arranged to be rotated y the passa eof air currents thereby; a connecting sha geared toeach windmill; earsmounted between the drive shaft an the connecting shafts and arranged torotate said drive shaft in either direction to propel the ship; a rad--der; and means connected to the drive shaft and actuated thereby formovin said rudder in either direction to steer t e ship.

' 2. A ship propellingdevice comprising the combination with a ship, ofpropellingsaid clutches to cause the drive shaft to be means mountedupon said ship; a drive shaft 1 connected to said propelling means todrum the same at difi'erent speeds; windmills ro-" tatably and revolublvmounted upon the ship and arranged to be rotated by the ies sage of aircurrents thereby said windmills being provided with vanes pivotallymounted and arranged to automatically compen sate for variations in thewind pressure to effect a uniform drive; connecting shafts gearedbetween the windmills and the drive shaft to actuate said drive shaftwhen the windmills are rotated; clutches mounted upon the drive shaft inassociation with the gears connecting said connecting shafts with thedrive shaft; and means for actuating actuated in either direction and topermit the connecting shafts to be independently disconnected asdesired.

3. A ship propelling device comprising the combination with a ship, ofpropelling 65 means mounted upon the ship; a drive shaft connected tosaid propelling means; windmills mounted upon the ship and arranged tobe rotated by the passage of air currents thereby; a connecting shaftgeared to each windmill; gears connecting each connectin shaft with thedrive shaft; brakes mounte upon each connecting shaft; means for insaidclutches to

